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It's been 90 years since women earned the right to vote. Yes! I mean earned it.
The suffragettes -- Alice Paul, Susan B. Anthony, and many more -- rallied, marched, were imprisoned, starved themselves in order to have a say in the way our government votes. The final voting by the Senate was after the National Women's Party urged voters not to vote for anti-suffrage candidates.
Although the amendment was finally passed, it didn't mean ALL women could vote. There were suffragettes who weren't allowed on the front lines because of race, but who still supported the fight in passing the amendment -- Ida B. Wells, among others. Due to the tensions of that time among those who were also abolitionists, challenges about race after slavery made their contributions very complicated. Wells formed the first Black women's suffrage club in 1913 and created a stir when she refused to stay in the back of the lines during the March on Washington. Maya Angelou shares her perspective on why she believes there were challenges during this time, describing some of the simple differences that black and white women experienced in this video.
Now that a woman's right to vote has progressed to a woman's right to run for office, we see new challenges. We make up only 18% of political leaders, as reported by the White House Project. Most women can come up with plenty of reasons why they shouldn't run, but even bloggers can become political leaders, such as Jill Miller Zimon, who shared her story recently at the 2010 BlogHer conference.
Rallying women's voices in the blogosphere to affect policy is a recent phenomenon, but it's just as important as rallying in the field. Many political candidates are very engaged and eager to talk with bloggers and other online community organizers. However, we must remember not every community member is online. Many people struggle in impoverished environments, and as such, are typically the most affected by political decisions. Access to the power of social media can determine who can influence voting and which issues will be addressed and/or recognized.
As a call to action, this is your opportunity to get some answers to questions important to you! I have been given the chance to visit the White House Council on Women and Girls as a BlogHer interviewer, moderating a 30-minute chat with Tina Tchen, Deputy Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Public Engagement. We'll talk about honoring the historic moment of the 19th Amendment and celebrating the 90th anniversary of a women's right to vote, and I'll be asking her your questions.
What questions would YOU like to ask the administration? What changes would you like to see for women?
Here are the key areas I would like you to focus your questions:
- The history of women's suffrage and the accomplishments and the challenges of the past 90 years.
- The view of the power of bloggers and their social capital, particularly women, as influencers in the political process by the Administration.
- The Administration's -- and the Council for Women and Girls' -- goals on listening to the voices of non-middle-class women who don’t necessarily have tools to build social capital.
- The Administration's plans to address the issues for women and the economy including equal pay, small business owners, flexible work, et cetera.
- Are there any issues that are important to you as a woman voter that this administration should know about?
Please have your questions submitted no later than 7pm EST Tuesday, August 24.
